MOSCOW: Russian forces claimed on Saturday they had captured another village in eastern Ukraine near the town of Kurakhove, as Moscow continued its steady territorial gains.
According to a statement from the Russian Defence Ministry, troops successfully “liberated the settlement of Zhelannoye Vtoroye” in the Donetsk region, referring to the village by its Russian name.
The village, known as Zhelanne Druge in Ukrainian, is strategically located near the town of Kurakhove and lies in proximity to Pokrovsk, a significant logistical hub for the Ukrainian military. The advance in this area highlights Moscow’s steady push toward capturing vital Ukrainian infrastructure and weakening defensive lines.
Pokrovsk has been a focal point for both sides, given its importance for the Ukrainian army’s supply routes. Its vulnerability to Russian advances could have broader implications for Ukraine’s military operations in the region.
Meanwhile, Russian-installed officials in the city of Gorlivka, also in the Donetsk region, reported that 11 civilians had been injured by shelling allegedly launched from Ukrainian positions.
Additionally, the Russian defence ministry claimed to have downed 10 Ukrainian drones overnight across the Belgorod, Voronezh, and Kursk regions, all of which border Ukraine.
The governor of the Voronezh region, Alexander Gusev, confirmed on Telegram that a civilian had been injured in a Ukrainian drone strike.
On the Ukrainian side, casualties were also reported. Ivan Fyodorov, the regional governor of Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine, confirmed that two civilians were killed by Russian missile strikes.
